New Zealand eventer Lizzie Brown has added to the Kiwi domination of international horse trials, taking out the Boekelo CCI3* in The Netherlands at the weekend.

Riding Henton Attorney General, Brown notched a career best when she headed home a quality field with more than a rail in hand, with countryman Mark Todd and Leonidas II in third, behind Germany’s Peter Thomsen and Horseware’s Barney with 44.20.

Japanese rider Kenki Sato was fourth on Chippieh, with Britain’s Kitty King fifth on Persimmon.

Brown, 25, was second after the dressage and took the lead on the cross-country with her 13-year-old hanoverian gelding.

“I just focused on one step at a time,” she said. “We got through the dressage, and I even shocked myself with the score, then focused on the cross country fence by fence.”

A combination of wet footing, the result of torrential rain, and course designer Sue Benson’s clever twists, turns and endless variety of accuracy tests, made for an exciting and challenging day’s cross-country.

Clear from her mind was the calibre of the field chasing her, which included Olympic gold medallist Michael Jung (GER) who was just behind her going into the showjumping.

“I was pretty confident going into the showjumping because Frank (Henton Attorney General) is a very good showjumper. When we jumped the second to last fence of the last treble everyone cheered because we had two fences in hand but then I freaked out and had the last down!”

It’s been an up and down run for Brown and Frank in Britain.

“He was in such good form when I left New Zealand but been a really tough two years since, so this is a real comeback. He is such a talented horse and when he is feeling as good as he is now he proves he is one of the best … I have always believed that.”

The combination also won two two-stars this season.

Brown paid tribute to Frank’s owner Tessa Grant who she says “deserves a medal having stuck with us through this and thin”.

Todd went clear in the showjumping to move up from eighth to third, having withdrawn his other mount Up n Go before the final discipline. Blyth Tait retired Xanthus II at the seventh obstacle on the cross-country. Brown’s second mount, Playtime, was eliminated after three stops on the cross-country.

Just 64 of the 105-strong starting field completed the event.

The Nations’ Cup was won by Germany, with Great Britain in second place and Ireland third of the 13 countries in the running.